Wisconsin’s first
documented and sustained commercial water powered sawmill and lumbering
operation, Arndt’s Pensaukee Mill (1827), was built here on the
Pensaukee River. The site is on the National Register of Historic
Places. The mill was used until the 1860s. Pensaukee was Oconto County’s
first modern era community with the first modern farm, both being
established around the Mill. A dam levy along the north bank of the
river can still be seen but is the only surviving structure. E.A.
Taylor’s Pensaukee stagecoach stop (ca 1855) and hotel (ca 1871) and
Gardner’s Sawmill and Grand Hotel (ca 1850 and 1872) were also located
nearby. The Grand Hotel was advertised as the largest and most lavish
north of Milwaukee. They were destroyed by a huge tornado which leveled
much of Pensaukee in 1877.

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Comments from Visitors

Thank you so much for visiting, documenting, photographing and sharing our historic markers! This is truly an honor and it is much appreciated. Jim SchuhChippewa County Historical Society

I just discovered your site and have been using it in my fourth grade summer school class in Viroqua, WI. We learned about Wisconsin throughout the year and are spending some time during summer school reading and talking about the history of Viroqua. We plan to take a walking trip to the Pioneer Cemetery and Lucy Stone marker. Thank you for all of your information!Kimberly (Brye) Cade

Hi, I really love your historic marker site a lot, I write a travel blog and I get pictures of these markers to assist in my writing about each town. I went to the Dean House in January for their monthly tour. Here is a link.

Very nice blog post. I certainly love this site. Keep it up!AnonymousThank you for posting this! I am Russ & Grace's grand-daughter & very happy they helped preserve this little slice of Soo Line history for future generations! Awesome website. Thanks for your work!Lillian Ferrall

Thanks for writing about your experiences! This is such a unique and wonderful way to share the history of our wonderful Wisconsin!tessalynn